Charm Bracelet
by RachS
Summary: Boq had never forgotten Nessa's birthday, even after their relationship had become so strained...


Nessarose sat playing with a bracelet on her wrist and staring impatiently at her bedroom door. She wondered whether Boq had remembered what the day was. He had remembered every year since Shiz, even after she had become Governor and their relationship had become more and more strained, and she hoped that this would not be the year that he forgot…

Eventually the sound of knocking was heard at the door and Boq entered, carrying, as usual, a breakfast tray, which he placed on the bedside table. Before he could move away Nessa reached out and placed her hand on top of his.

'Good Morning Boq.'

'Good Morning.' Boq moved from the bed and went to open the curtains. He then returned to Nessa's side and sat on the edge of her bed. From his pocket he produced a small envelope, which he placed in her hands. 'This is for you. Happy Birthday.'

'Oh Boq thank you!' Nessa smiled broadly. He had remembered.

'It's…um…another charm to add to your bracelet.' Boq pointed to the thin silver chain around Nessa's wrist. It had been a present from Boq after their first date, and every year he bought a new charm to add to it. 'I know it's nothing new…not a surprise or anything. You must be getting bored of them by now…'

'No Boq I love them. I love them all because they remind me of you. They all have little stories attached to them that make me think of you.'

'Stories?'

Nessa nodded. 'This one, for example, the rose. It was the first one that you bought for me, after the Ozdust Dance. You walked me to my room and before I went in you handed me this little parcel with the bracelet and the little silver rose inside. I couldn't stop smiling for weeks after that.'

Boq laughed. He remembered how his guilt over his little agreement with Galinda had made him want to do something special for Nessa, and how long it had taken him to find the perfect gift for her. 'I really wanted to find something special for you, and I couldn't think of anything. I even made Fiyero come to the town with me to look for ideas, but he wasn't any use. He kept suggesting flowers or chocolates, but that was just too obvious. I'd actually almost given up when I saw this in the window.'

'You went to all that trouble for me?' Nessa leant over and kissed Boq on the cheek. He blushed but did not protest. Nessa wondered if he would do the same for her now.

'And what about this one? What does this one make you think of?' Boq gestured to a charm in the shape of a tiny pair of shoes.

'This one makes me think of how sweet you were after father…when he died. You were trying to cheer me up and you gave me this one because you said it made me think of how father used to buy me beautiful shoes. I never felt more cared for than I did then.'

Boq smiled as he remembered those times. He had been desperate to cheer Nessa up, telling her that everything would be okay. He had tried to reassure her that she would be a great Governor and that everyone would love her as much as he did. At this thought Boq's smile turned to a frown. How many times had he told Nessa that he loved her when he hadn't really meant it? He tried to push this thought aside. 'This one…the mirror…'

'Oh yes, this one…well the story behind this one actually makes me feel quite silly now. We'd been arguing because someone had been spreading rumours that the only reason you ever asked me out was to impress Galinda, and stupidly I'd believed the rumours at first, but you gave me this and you told me…'

'That it was you that I wanted, not her.' Boq felt a sudden rush of guilt 'I told you that you should look in the mirror more often and see just how beautiful you are, because that's what I saw every day: a beautiful, funny, caring person who I loved a thousand times more than I could ever love Galinda.'

'Was that really true Boq? Did you really mean it back then? And if you did do you still feel the same way now?'

'Why don't you open your present?'

Nessa looked a little disheartened at Boq's refusal to answer her questions but opened the present he had given her. The charm was slightly bigger than the rest, and it was in the shape of a heart, on one side of which the words 'Boq' and 'Nessarose' were inscribed in delicate lettering.

'Do you like it?'

'Boq it's…it's beautiful.'

'Here, let me fix it on.'

Nessa held out the arm on which she wore the bracelet and Boq attached the charm to the chain. 'Would you like to know the story behind this one?'

Nessa simply nodded.

'The story is that there was once a silly Munchkin who was loved by a girl. This Munchkin didn't treat the girl well. He lied to her and made her think things that weren't true, but one day the Munchkin realised his mistakes.' Boq took both of Nessa's hands in his. 'He realised that he had fallen in love with the girl, and hoped that she would forgive him for everything he had done…'

'Do you mean it?'

Boq nodded his head, before leaning forwards to kiss Nessa.

'Yes, and I can't believe it's taken me so long to realise it. I love you Nessarose.'


End file.
